THE SIN OFFERING In the previous sacrifices and the offerings we saw a certain side of the cross; namely, that it is an object of “pleasure to the Father”; But in the sin and trespass offerings, we see the other dark side; where we do not hear that sweet tune, but we see in the cross, the incarnate Word carry our sins upon His shoulders to pay the price on our behalf; or in other words, we see Him carry the curse of the law, under which we, ourselves, have fallen; to accept, while being the beloved Son, to take our place, we who have come to be under the divine wrath, to lift us up and to support us. That is the dark tune of the sin and the trespass offerings. The sin offering, came to be divided, not according to the kind of the offering, as it was in the previous sacrifices and offerings, but according to the position and social status of the sinner who offers it. 1- An introduction to the sin offering 2- The sin offering for the anointed priest 1 - 12 3- The sin offering for the whole congregation 13 - 21 4- The sin offering for the civil ruler 22 - 26 5- The sin offering for one of the common people 27 – 37 1- AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SIN OFFERING: a- To reveal the goal of this offering he says: “If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them” (2). It is a sacrifice to be offered by those who fall out of weakness, or unintentionally, against any of the commandments of the Lord, but not intentionally, or out of stubbornness. Commenting on the term “person”, the scholar Origen says that he calls the sinner here, ‘a person’, and not ‘a spirit’ or ‘man’. For by sin, man does not walk by the Spirit, to be called ‘a Spirit’, and he loses his image of God, according to which he was created, to be called ‘man’; But he is called ‘a person’, for walking like a natural being, as we have already seen in our interpretation of the second chapter. Some may wonder what is the difference between ‘the sin offering’ and the ‘trespass offering’: According to some scholars, the sin offering represents an atonement for the one who offers it, rather than a sacrifice for a particular sin; even if it is offered for this purpose. The trespass offering, on the other hand, represents an atonement for a particular sin committed by the one who offers it. That is why we find the sin offering, and not the trespass offering, presented during feasts on behalf of the whole congregation, as a general and a collective atonement for the whole congregation. According to some scholars, the sin offering is presented by someone who commits a sin that does not warrant paying a material restitution for damage done to someone else. Whereas the trespass offering, on the other hand, is presented by someone who commits a sin that warrants paying a material restitution for damage done; whether against the temple, or man. a- This offering is not optionally presented by the sinner or sinners, but by commitment for the sake of their sanctification. At the same time, it does not give pleasure to the Lord, but reveals the bitterness tasted by the Savior, who “bore our sins in His own body on the tree on our behalf” )1 Peter 2: 24); It is a symbol referring to the divine Lamb, who knew no sin, yet came to be a sin for our sake; who, therefore, cried out: “My soul is extremely sorrowful , even to death” (Matthew 26: 38; Mark 14: 34). b- Although all of us, humans, are fallen under weakness, but the sin offering reveals the seriousness of sin in the life of those in responsible positions, and the spiritual leaders, according to their specific roles: The priest who sins will cause an offense to his congregation; and the boss to his subordinates; Whereas for the commoner, his offense is of a lesser magnitude. The anointed priest (the high priest), therefore, has to offer a young bull without blemish; the laical ruler, offers a kid of the goats without blemish; whereas any of the common people, offers a female of the goats or lambs without blemish. … Although all are in need of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ to atone for his sins, yet the offense is different according to the status of the sinner. 2- THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE ANOINTED PRIEST: He starts talking about the sin offering with that which is presented for the anointed priest; namely, the high priest, not as an honor to him more than to others, but to let the priest perceive his own weakness, and to make him feel that he, being more than the others, in need of the atonement for his sins, he should be compassionate on his weak brethren; To let him feel that he is not unvulnerable, nor that he belongs to a rank, different from the other people, but that he is the servant of all, and the one most of need. These issues were proclaimed by the apostle Paul, saying: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1: 15); and says: “For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness” (Hebrew 7: 28); so that, because of their weakness, they, more than the other people, would be able to present sacrifices. Do you see the extent of the ordinance of the divine wisdom, to set as priests, not those who do not sin, or else they would not be humans; … That is why the high priest “offers sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s” (Hebrew 7: 27)]. St. John Chrysostom told us much about his feeling of weakness, as a bishop, feeling the weakness of his people, and moaning together with them. And proclaiming, as well, the need of the priest to reconsider himself, on account of that the war against him is more intense. Of his words: [As far as the priest is concerned, his spirit has to be more pure than the sun itself … being more prone to temptations that could defile him, if he is not self-denier, and continuously striving]. And according to the scholar Origen: [“The law appoints as high priests men who have weakness” (Hebrew 7: 28). See the divine wisdom! Hence, the high priest offers sacrifices, first for his own sins , then for the people’s” (Hebrew 7: 27). For the sin, unintentionally committed by the priest, he presents a young bull without blemish; takes of its blood to the sanctuary; dips his finger in the blood, and sprinkles some of it before the Lord, on the veil of the sanctuary, on the altar of incense; and pour the remaining blood of the bull at the base of the altar of the burnt offering. And after burning the fat on the altar of the burnt offering, he removes the bull’s hide, its flesh, head and legs, its entrails and offal, carry them all to be be burned in a clean place outside the camp (12). No one is to eat of its flesh. In this rite, it is to be noticed: a- The priest for whose sake this sacrifice is offered, puts his hand on the head of the bull, confessing his sins (Psalm 32: 5). … For, if the priest listens to the confessions of others, he, himself, is committed whatever his rank is, to practice confession, proclaiming that, together with his congregation, he walks along the way of perpetual repentance, of humiliation before God, and of confessing his sins. b- The rite of the sin offering is centered around ‘the blood’. And owing to the seriousness of the sin of the high priest, he brings forth the blood of his sacrifice to the tabernacle of meeting, dips his finger in the blood, and sprinkles from it seven times before the Lord, namely, before the Ark of the Covenant, which represents the throne of God; on the veil, on the floor before the Ark, and on the horns of the golden altar of incense; Then the rest of the blood is to be poured below the altar of the bronze burnt offering, in the outer court of the tabernacle. What is so elaborately done with the blood, is not without a goal; but, because if the high priest commits a sin -- he who intervenes before God on behalf of the people, through the Ark of the Covenant, through the veil, through the golden altar of incense, and the bronze altar of the burnt offering -- He, himself would be in need for someone to intercede on his behalf. Therefore, the blood, that symbolizes the blood of the Lord Christ, would intercedes, to sanctify the way for him. By the precious blood, to which the high priest holds fast, he could go through the veil, and set forth to the Ark of the Covenant, to enjoy the encounter with God, who transfigures on the cover of the Ark above the mercy seat. By the precious blood, he raises the prayers, on the golden altar; and by it, God would receive the sacrifices of his love on the bronze altar of the burnt offering. Hence, the high priest sprinkles the blood seven times, as a sign of the perfect sanctification, to be able to practice his priestly work anew; and for God to receive his prayers, to listen to his supplications, and to smell his offerings a sweet aroma on behalf of the people. On another aspect, the high priest who sinned, will hold fast to the blood, for the sake of sanctification inside the Most Holy place, in the sanctuary, and in the outer court. For, if the sin would corrupt man as a whole: spirit, soul, and body, by blood he would be sanctified in his depths, where His Spirit is (The Most Holy Place), in his soul (the sanctuary), and in his body (the outer court). By the blood, our sins would be forgiven, and our whole life would be sanctified. Talking to us about the activity of this blood, St. Augustine says: [The Savior’s blood was shed, and our debt became void. That is the blood shed for many for the forgiveness of sins]. While St. John Chrysostom says: [That blood (of the New Covenant] has been perpetually symbolized in the old, on the altar, and through the sacrifices presented by the righteous. That is the price of the world, by which the Lord Christ purchased the church for Himself, and by which He adorned it all. Those who partake of this blood would stand together with the angels, the archangels, and the higher hosts, would be clothed with the royal garment of Christ; and would have the weapon of the Spirit…. No I have not yet said it all! … They will be clothed by the King Himself!). . c- The hide and flesh were a portion usually given to the priests, but because this sacrifice, is an atonement for the sin of the high priest, everything in it had to be burned, even its hide (11), a sign of the Lord’s hatred and rejection of sin. 3- THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE WHOLE CONGREGATION: This sacrifice is offered for the sake of a collective sin unintentionally committed by the whole congregation. As the high priest should be particulate in his behavior, so should the holy congregation be particulate on keeping their purity, and their spiritual beauty, against any sin. The rite here is almost the same as in the sin offering for the sake of the high priest; on account of that what the high priest does, would touche the whole congregation; and what the whole congregation do, is the responsibility of the high priest. In the previous kind of sacrifice, the anointed priest puts his hand on its head, confessing his sins. Here, however, the elders put their hands on behalf of the whole congregation, confessing their sins…. Not that the high priest is exonerated from the collective sins of the people, but it is rather to have the elders partake of his responsibility in the general ordinance of the spiritual issues of the people. In this sacrifice, as well, the importance of bringing the blood forth to the tabernacle of the meeting, is clearly shown; in sprinkling it on the veil, the horns of the golden altar of incense, and in pouring the rest of it below the altar of the burnt offering. 4- THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE CIVIL RULER: This sacrifice concerns the rulers of civil authority like kings, elders, and judges, whose sin is distinguished from those of the common people, on account of being responsible rulers. Any sin committed by one of them could cause an offense to many, even if unintentionally done. The sacrifice in this case is a male kid of goats without blemish; and here, the blood is not brought forth into the sanctuary, as it is the case in that of the high priest, but is poured below the altar of the burnt offering, after sprinkling some of it on the horns of the altar. Although the sins of the rulers could be an offense to the subordinates, yet the seriousness of their sins is not as heavy as that of the high priest, and does not touch the inner sanctuaries. In the rite of this sacrifice, the hide and the flesh are not burned as it is the case in the sin offering of the high priest, but will be a portion of the priests. In a logic interpretation of this difference, the Jewish philosopher Filon of Alexandria says that eating the flesh of the sin offering by the priests, would give comfort to the one who offers it, that God has forgiven his sins, on account of that God would not allow His priests to partake of it, unless He has taken it away and forgiven it completely for the one atoned. 5- THE SIN OFFERNG FOR ONE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE: The sacrifice for an unintentionally committed sin by any of the common people, is a kid of goats or a female of lambs without blemish. Designating a female in this case is on account of that it is cheaper and affordable by many. Commenting on the expression “of any of the common people of the land” (27), the scholar Origen says, that we should distinguish between him who is of the common people of the land, and those about whom is said: “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3: 20); for those later souls do not unite with the land, but are completely in heaven; where they dwell “where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3: 1); Although they desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better; yet they are committed to remain in the body (Philippians 1: 24, 25). In the rite of this sacrifice, the blood is not brought forth into the sanctuary, as it is in both the cases of the high priest and the congregation.
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